


A Long Way to Go

by mavjade



Series: Descendents [4]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: Family Drama, Family Fluff, Far Future, Gen, LGBT Character, M/M, Mentions of canon characters - Freeform, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 22:24:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12874305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mavjade/pseuds/mavjade
Summary: Leo Lyman and his siblings Abi and Noah (children of Josh and Donna) always talk to each other before anyone else, this time is no different. How will Leo's siblings take his big news? Is he prepared for their reaction?A story in the Bri-and-Mav future 'verse, though this can be read as a stand-alone.Mention of a major character death, but no descriptions, takes place in the future from the show, nor is it the focus of the story.





	A Long Way to Go

**Author's Note:**

> This story is all OC's, the children of Josh and Donna.  
> Leo is the oldest child of Josh and Donna. Abi and Noah are twins and 5 years younger than Leo.
> 
> See the series description for further info about all the OCs in this 'verse.

The Lyman siblings were always telling each other the big things before they told anyone else. When Abi was sixteen and decided to shave her head, she called Leo at one in the morning and begged him to come home right away to help soften the blow with their parents. When Noah decided he wanted to join the Peace Corps right out of undergrad and help to build water systems in Africa, he told Leo before he told his twin sister because he knew it was going to be a huge issue for her, and their parents who would be proud but worried.

The first time Leo went out with a guy, Noah and Abi were the first to hear about it, the first to know that Leo was bi. He hadn’t been afraid to tell their parents, he knew they would love him no less -they had fought for marriage equality themselves- but it was easier to talk to Noah and Abi, and he wanted them at his side when it became known.

So it only made sense that when Leo made such a big decision, that his siblings were, while not the first -he did have to discuss something so life-changing with his husband first or he feared he’d no longer have one- but they knew pretty soon after.

The three were on videochat, something they tried to do as often as possible, but with Noah traveling so much for his work and the demand for Abi’s skills, it didn’t always happen.

“So what’s going on?” Abi asked as she flipped her long blue-streaked hair behind her ears. “You seem nervous.”

Leo chuckled. He looked nervous because he was. It was no secret that he had been the one in the family to fall in love with politics like their father. Leo had initially wanted to stay local, where the “real action” took place. And then he was on the front lines of pushing for the 51st state of the United States into a reality and became the very first senator for Washington D.C. It was there he got a taste of what good national politics could actually accomplish, and he found he enjoyed it.

But yes, he was nervous about this news because he knew his baby brother and sister would think he was crazy. They, like Leo, grew up around national politics and while they didn’t hate it, they hadn’t loved it either. Abi blamed politics for their dad’s death, and she couldn’t get over it.

“He could have lived years longer if the stress had been less,” she’d always say. She couldn’t know that for sure, of course, but it was something for her to blame.

Leo took a deep breath and readied himself to tell his brother and sister the news. “I’m going to run for President,” he blurted out. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and waited for the onslaught to begin, but nothing happened. The two people on the screen, his brother and sister, just stared. “Guys?”

“You’re joking, right?” Abi finally asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. “I was just waiting for the punch line.”

Abi had always been the more outspoken of the twins, really of them all. While Leo took after their dad in his love for politics, Abi took after him the most in temperament. “Two peas in a pod” their mom, Donna, always called their dad and Abi. They’d fight like cats and dogs, but Abi was a daddy’s girl at heart.

“No, I’m not. I’m going to run for President.”

“Does Marc know?” Noah asked.

Leo laughed, “Of course he does! We’ve discussed it at length.”

“And..” Abi prompted waiting for the rest.

“And what?” Leo asked. He wasn’t quite sure where they were going. Did they really think he’d run for such an office without his husband’s blessing?

“And how does he feel about it? What about the kids?” Noah jumped in before his sister said something she'd regret.

“He has reservations, of course. So do I, but I don’t think you can fully consider such a thing and not have them,” Leo answered honestly. “I didn’t just decide this on a whim. We decided. And what about the kids?”

Abi rolled her eyes. She loved her brother, but he could be dense at times. “You know it will affect them, and not for the better.”

Leo reared back as though he’d been hit. He had no clue his sister felt that way. “We grew up around it, and we turned out fine. Miranda and Peter Santos were about the same age, Elvie was born into it. Josie and Imogene, we know so many people…”

“Yeah, and Imogene was miserable and hated every minute,” Abi interrupted. “It pretty much destroyed her relationship with her parents, at least for quite a long time. Time they’ll never get back! Do you really want that for your kids?”

This conversation was becoming harder than Leo thought it would be. He knew they’d be shocked, but this reaction was unexpected. He wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. “No, I don’t. Of course I don’t, but we’ll do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Leo rubbed his hand down his face and sighed. He really didn’t want to continue down this discussion path. “Look guys, why don’t we talk about this some other time, okay?”

“Good,” Abi said. “You should think about it more.”

“That’s... that's not what I meant.”

“I know, but I think you should.”

“Okay,” Leo agreed just to stop the conversation. “Love you baby sis.”

Abi smiled, “Love you, big brother.” She clicked off, and her image went away leaving the two brothers together on the call.

“I’m proud of you Leo,” Noah said after they just looked at each other for a moment. He knew this couldn't be easy for his brother and he wanted to be supportive even if he wasn't sure about the idea. “And I know dad would be too.”

Leo ducked his head, and couldn’t help the small smile that started at the corner of his lips. “Thank you, Noah. That means a lot to me.”

“She’ll come around. I’ll talk to her.”

“Thanks. I’m going to need you both when I talk to mom.”

Noah’s eyes widened almost comically. “You know, I think I’ll be out of the country then.”

A burst of laughter erupted from Leo, “I’ll wait.”

“It’s going to be a long trip, months, maybe years,” Noah continued to joke. After laughing for a few moments, he turned more serious, “I’ll be there. Any time, any place.”

“Thanks," Simply said. There wasn't much more to say. "Love you, Noah.”

“Love you too. Send Marc and the kids my love.”

“Will do,” Leo replied, happy his brother seemed to be taking things better than their sister.

“My brother, the President,” Noah said mostly to himself with beaming pride.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself; there’s still a long way to go. A long way.”

“It may be a long journey, but I’m not getting ahead. You’ll make it there, and you’ll be amazing.”

Leo nodded too choked up to say anything else. Noah clicked off, and the screen went black.

“I hope so baby brother,” Leo said to the blank screen. “I hope so.”


End file.
